Monday, May 19, 2008

Patience, Faith & A Plan of Action

Well, as you know, patience isn't one of my stronger suits. Boy, I am being forced to learn it now! The adoption process is soooo long and just when you think you are getting somewhere and you have some little scrap of info, you find you have to wait weeks or months for the rest of it. Some days I think I'm going to die if I have to wait another whole minute to get information on our baby. Other days I spend hours and hours online looking up adoption blogs, staring at adorable Thai babies and happy families that have their bundles of joy home already. But I don't stop there. I look up every known disease and development delay, early intervention, therapy, schools, growth charts, and adoption information of every variety. Then I look up country information, Thai culture, Thai holidays, baby names, and of course, shopping sites for baby. Torture. Sheer torture, I tell you! Okay, the last few aren't so torturous. Oh, but I daydream about what she'll be like, all the places I want to take her, all the little things we want to share with her. I picture her in all the cute little outfits I got her and see her throwing her hat off in a tantrum and me thinking this is really cute. Stubborn just like mommy! Yea, you can remind me I said that. :)

I am keeping my sense of humor up this evening, but the last few weeks have been a bit more stressful for us than usual. Praying, meditating, and reading have all helped me through this process, and of course, the support of my friends and family. Jeff has had his work to keep him busy and is SWAMPED. My work is dead right now so I had to find a way to distract myself. I made a list of all the projects I wanted to get to and never had time to do. I decided to come up with a plan of action. I have limited my internet time and am GETTING BUSY!

Since Friday, I have taken 2 yoga classes, found and visited a Thai temple near my home to learn more about Buddhism, took my first Thai language class there from a very sweet monk, and found some great sites to learn Thai at home, and studied a bit. I cleaned out my entire closet (no small feat!), cleaned out my pantry (now you KNOW I am desperate to distract myself), cleaned and organized the whole house, ordered carpet for my family room, made a pile of things for a yard sale I'm planning, and I am headed to the fridge next for a serious clean-out! I've had a couple good walks with the dog (about 2-3) miles each, ran every errand I could think of and have done 6 loads of laundry. I figure if I have to wait and work is slow, the LEAST I can do is get my house and myself in tip-top shape. I've already done enough retail therapy to dress my child for the first year that she's home so I had to find another outlet for my frustration.

So to all you mom's out there in limbo, I offer this simple advice: GET MOVING!

Take a class, learn a language, do yoga, meditate, go to church, to temple...whatever motivates and gets you going. Organize your living space, scrapbook, get all those photos developed and in albums, work on the babies room, paint, garden, take on a new project at work or around the house, read that book you've been meaning to read, visit friends you never get to see (or at least get in touch with all of them) and stay as busy as possible. See the first weekly inspiration below. It's a good one! I can't take credit for it though. Found it online. Enjoy!

Thanks to all of you who have been there for me the last few weeks. We WILL have news to share with you soon. I just know it!

June 20, 2008 - Dossier received in Thailand. JUNE 19, 2008 - WACAP called to say we were going to be matched with our girl!

MAY 13, 2008 - Completed dossier rec'd by Wacap from Thai Embassy in Washington, DC. Now ready to go to Thailand. Also received the file today with pic and basic medical info on the Waiting child we are hoping is our daughter!